Knockdown showcase structure



Jan. 27, 1942. w o s 2,271,121

KNOGKDOWN SHOWCAS E S TRUCTURE Filed Jan, 27, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 1 mu ulll dfmulllhl Mill" J -Q-M x Jan. 27, 1942.

W. A. GROSS KNOCKDOWN SHOWCASE STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 27, 1941 \wmw 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 27, 1942.

w. A. GROSS KNOCKDOWN SHOWCASE STRUCTURE Filed Jan, 27, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Mg E 1 V11 1' war was UM (M Niamey;

Patented Jan. 27, 1942 KNOCKDOWN SHOWCASE STRUCTURE William A. Gross, Portland, reg., assignorto Grand Rapids Store Equipment Company, Grand Rapids, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application January 2'7, 1941, Serial No. 376,092

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a particularly useful and economically constructed show case or counter structure. It is a primary object and purpose of the present invention to produce a show case or counter which may be manufactured at exceptionally low cost, shipped in a folded, knock-down form to its place of use, and then very simply and expeditiously have the parts thereof assembled and connected together, providing an attractive construction of show case or counter at the lowest possible cost.

An understanding of the invention for the attainment of the ends stated as well as many others not at this time specifically enumerated may be had from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the show case in its operative assembled form.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of certain parts of the show case folded together and in a collapsed form for shipment.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through the case as shown in Fig. 1, the section being taken between the front and rear sides of the case and looking toward the front thereof.

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section through the show case.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section through the Fig. 8 is a fragmentary horizontal section, similar to Fig. 6, at a rear upper corner portion of the case. I

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section at a rear upper corner portionv of the case, and

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one of the supporting clips, the use of which will later appear. Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different views of the drawings.

In the construction illustrated a horizontal bottom I of rectangular form for the lower storage compartment of a show case is provided, to the under side of whichtwo longitudinal boards 2 are hingedly mounted by hinges 3, said hinges being preferably located a short distance back of the front edge of said bottom I and in front of the rear edge thereof. Such boards 2 comprise the front and rear sides of a supporting base for the show case and may be folded flat shipped. When assembled they are turned downwardly to verticalposition, as shown in Fig. 5, and are held in such position by pins 4 which pass downwardly through the bottom I at the inner sides of the parts 2.

At each end of the bottom I two end members 5 are hingedly connected at 6, adapting the ends 5 to be turned to vertical positions or to be folded against the under side of the bottom I whendownwardly toward each other to lie over the bottom I for shipment. The lower ends of the end members 5 are reduced in width, as indicated at 5a, and are of the same height as the parts 2', so that when the end members are in vertical position, as in Fig. 1, the lower edgesof the parts 5a and 2 are in the same horizontal plane and both will bear against the floor completing the supporting base for the show case as is evident.

At the inner side of each of the ends 5, and in practice substantially midway between the bot tom I and the upper edges of said ends, a plurality of clips made from flat 'metal are removably connected. These clips include each a vertical leg I having slots 8 therein as inFig. 10, and an offset inwardly positioned vertical lip 9. Such clips may be connected with headed pins or screws secured at the inner-sides of the ends of the show case with the severallips 9 extending upwardly.

The bottom of the display compartment of the show case" consists of ahorizontal rectangular 'floor H] of wood which, adjacent each end is slotted at its under side to receive the vertical lips 9 ofthe clips I, thereby supporting the member III in horizontal position and retaining the ends 5 in place. A bar II substantially square in cross-section is permanently secured to the under side and rear edge of the floor I0. A similar bar l2 of less vertical dimension is permanently secured to the under side and front of the floor Ill. To the bar I2 a front I3for the storage compartment of the show case is hinged by hinges I4, the upper portion 'of the front I3 when the case is in assembled form, extending above the hinges, and 'is provided with an upstanding rib l5 as shown. A plurality of metal fingers I6 are secured by screws or the like at the inner side and adjacent the lower edge of the front I3 to be received in grooves or slots near the front edge of'the bottom I (see Fig 4). U

The intermediate-portion of the display compartment floor I 0 may be supported by a vertically positioned frame, as shown in Fig. 3. The frame consists of two vertical'side legs II connected by upper and lower horizontal bars IB.

Such frame is connected to the underside of the floor In by hinges l9, adapting it to fold against the under side thereof and the lower ends of the legs carry flat metal fingers 2B which, like the fingers l6, are adapted to be received in properly positioned slots cut in the upper side of the bottom I.

At the upper side of the floor ll] of the display compartment and at its rear, a bar 2| is permanently secured directly over the bar I being provided with two spaced apart longitudinal grooves in its upper side. A bar 22 extends between the upper rear corners of the ends 5, at the under side of which are two spaced apart grooves di rectly over the grooves in the bar 2|. Sliding doors 23 are mounted for sliding movement in the grooves of bars 2| and 23. One of the doors is forward of the other whereby either door may be slid past the other for access at the rear to the interior of the show case display compartment.

The bar 22 is detachably secured in place between the rear upper corners of the ends 5. Each end of the bar 22 is provided with two spaced pins 24 to enter holes made at the inner sides of the ends for properly locating the bar with reference to said ends. A third exteriorly threaded pin 25 is carried at each end of the bar 22 and is to extend therefrom partly through an enlarged opening in its adjacent end 5 of the case. A screw 26 having a hollow interiorly threaded shank is inserted into each of said openings in the ends 5 of the case and screwed onto its respective threaded pin 25 thereby bringing the parts tightly together, and as will hereafter appear, helping to secure the upper show case glass in place.

A rod 21 having a head thereon is inserted through ahorizontal opening adjacent a front upper corner of the show case, extends lengthwise of the case and has a reduced threaded extension 28 passing partly through an opening having substantially the same diameter as the rod made in-the upper front corner of the other upper end of the case. A similar screw 26 with hollow interiorly threaded shank is inserted in said opening of the last mentioned end of the case and screwed onto the threaded extension 28 of the rod 21.

The front of the upper show case display compartment is a rectangular vertically positionedglass plate .29 which is guided in vertical grooves at the inner sides of and near the front edges of theends 5 of the case. The lower edge portion of the front glass 29 is seated against the front l3 of the storage compartment back of the rib I5 and betweenit and the front edge of the floor ll! of the display compartment (see Fig. 4).

The upper horizontal plate of glass 30 providing the top of the show case rests at its ends on the ends 5 of the show case between vertically extending ribs 3|, one at the upper edge of each end of the show case, each of which at its inner side is undercut in a downward and outward direction at an angle to the vertical. The end edges of the glass plate 3|] are beveled to correspond soas to fit such undercut sides of the ribs 3|. The rear edge of the glass is brought against a rib 32 extending upwardly from the rear part of the bar 22, the height of the ribs 32 and 3| being substantially equal to the thickness of the glass plate 30. The glass plate is put in place with the screws 25s1acked off. After the glass is in place they are tightened thereby pressing or binding the ribs 3| against the ends of the glass plate 30, securing it in place and, with the under cut formation of the ribs 3| associated with the complementary beveled ends of the plate 30, such plate is securely held and locked against upward movement.

It is evident with this construction the bottom I with the ends 5 hinged thereto and with the base supporting members 2 likewise hinged, can be folded into a fiat compass as shown in the upper part of Fig. 2. Also the floor In of the display compartment, the supporting frame underneath and the front l3 may likewise be folded fiat, The rod 21, the bar 22 and the plates of glass 29 and 30 together with the folded units of the structure shown in Fig. 2, may be readily packed in a paper board carton of the size to receive them, occupying little space, avoiding all necessity of crating and thereby very greatly reducing the charges of transportation. When a destination is reached, the show case can be assembled very rapidly, the only tool that is required being a screw. driver.

The construction described is very practical and useful and is exceptionally economical to produce without detriment to the appearance, rigidity, strength and durability of the show case or counter construction.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. A construction of the class described comprising, a rectangular bottom member, end members hingedly connected one to each end of the bottom member, a floor member of rectangular form disposed horizontally between the vertically positioned end members, means for detachably connecting said floor member at its ends to said end members, a front hingedly connected adjacent the forward edge of the floor member, a front glass removably connected to and lying between the front edge portions of said end mem'- bers above the floor, and a top glass lyingat the upper edges of and between said end members, combined with means for releasably securing said top glass inplace, said end members and said front being collapsible respectively against said bottom member and said floor member.

2. A construction of the class described comprising, a rectangular bottom member, end members hingedly connected one to each end of the bottom member, a floor member of rectangular form disposed horizontally between the vertically positioned end members, means for detachably connecting said floor memberat its ends to said end members, and a front hingedly connected to the forward edge of the floor member, said hinged connections thereby permitting said end members and said front to be collapsible respectively against said bottom member and said floor member.

3. A construction of the class described comprising, a rectangular bottom member, end members hingedly connected one to each end of the bottom member in vertical positions, a floor member of rectangular form disposed horizontally between the vertically positioned end members, means for detachably connecting said floor member at its ends to said end members a distance above the bottom member, a front hingedly connected to the forward edge of the floor member extending vertically between said floor and bottom members, a front glass slidably received between the front edge portions of said end members above the floor, a top glass lying at the upper edges of and between saidend members,

and manually operable means for drawing the and members against the ends of said top glass, said hinged connections permitting collapse of said end members against said bottom member and said front against said floor member, as specified.

4. A construction of the class described comprising, a rectangular horizontal bottom member, base members hingedly connected at the lower side of the bottom member in substantial parallelism to the front and rear sides thereof, end members hingedly connected one to each end of the bottom member and disposed vertically, said end members in vertical position having a part extending below the bottom member a distance equal to the height of said base members, a floor member of rectangular form horizontally disposed between the vertically positioned end members and above the bottom member, means for detachably connecting said floor member at its ends to said end members, a front hingedly connected to the forward edge of the floor member and extending vertically between said floor and bottom members, and a supporting frame hingedly connected to the underside of the floor member at one end extending vertically between it and the bottom member, whereby in knocked down condition said base members and said end members may be collapsed against said bottom member, and said front and supporting frame may be collapsed against said floor, as specified.

5. In a construction of the class described, a horizontal rectangular bottom member, vertical end members one at each end of the bottom member, hinges at the upper side of the bottom member and inner side of the end members connecting said members together, a floor member located horizontally above the bottom member between the end members, means carried by the end members upon which the floor member is supported, a front member extending between the forward portions of the bottom and floor members, hinges attached to the under side of the floor member and rear side of the front member, a front glass vertically positioned between the forward edge portions of the end members, said end members having vertical grooves therein to slidably receive the glass, the lower edge of the front glass resting upon the upper edge of the front member, and a horizontal top glass secured and extending between the upper ends of said end members, as specified.

6. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 5, and a horizontal bar located between the upper rear corner portions of the end members combined with means for detachably securing the bar in place, the rear portion of the top glass resting upon said bar.

7. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 5, combined with a horizontal bar having two spaced apart longitudinal grooves in its under side, said bar being located between the upper rear corner portions of the end members, means for detachably connecting the bar in place, and a lower bar secured to and lying above the rear portion of the floor member having two spaced apart longitudinal grooves in its upper side, said grooves in said bars being adapted for the mounting of sliding doors.

8. A construction of the class described comprising, a folding unit having a horizontal bottom member and end members hingedly connected one to each end thereof and located at right angles thereto, and a second foldable unit comprising a horizontal rectangular floor member and a front member hingedly connected to the forward edge of the floor member, and supporting means at the inner sides of said end members upon which the ends of said floor member are carried, said end members being foldable against said bottom member and said front being foldable against said floor member when the units are collapsed as specified.

9. In a construction of the class described, a horizontal bottom member, vertical end members one at each end of the bottom member, hinges at the upper side of the bottom member and inner side of the end members connecting said members together, a floor member located horizontally above the bottom member between the end members, means carried by the end members upon which the floor member is supported, a front member extending between the forward portions of the bottom and floor members, and hinges attached to the under side of the floor member and rear side of the front member, whereby two foldable units are provided when the construction is separated, said end members being foldable against said bottom member and said front being foldable against said floor member.

10. The combination of elements defined in claim 9, combined with base members below said bottom member, and hinges connecting said base members with said bottom member.

11. The combination of elements defined in claim 9, combined with a supporting frame extending vertically between said floor and bottom members, and hinges connecting said frame with said floor member thereby permitting said frame to be folded thereagainst.

WILLIAM A. GROSS. 

